New Left Back

If Jose wants more defensive nous from the kids then that's fine. But I hope he's not expecting them to turn into players like park defensively. It's not going to happen. They are forwards.

Exactly , they are forwards forced to play on the wings , because of united's board bad squad planning and management. He wanted perisic for that. Also not getting mane was a huge mistake.

Jose has played a 352 and 3412 in big games and put martial and rashford up front when the balance allows them to play that way, but when not the wingers have to play the dual role as we dont control posession all the time.

Park was a big game player for us and played all the big games for the very same thing he brought us in those games while ronaldo was played as a striker. When those forwards have to play on the wings for the balance of the team in big games , the'll need to do everything there needs to be done for mourinho's philosophy. Even sir alex would never allow wingers like ronaldo to stop doing defensive duties if he has low quality full backs behind them.

But most of big clubs play 3 at the back in epl and we set up the same in those games where rashford and martial dont have defensive duties. City and liverpool dont and thus when we play against them they will need to learn those dark arts as well.
 
How good is this Grimaldo? I've been impressed with him in attack, but I haven't seen enough to form an opinion of his defending.

Would certainly be a very attacking option for the LWB though, and with a great age.

@Sly , @Arruda , @Peyroteo
 
How's Gaya been doing for Valencia, seen as they're performing quite well?

Played well against Barca but he doesn't seem like Mourinho's type. Small and not so physical.
 
People will likely castigate me for this, but I like Robbie Brady, a lot. Think he'd fit us perfectly.
 
I'm quite impressed with Jetro Willems from Eintracht Frankfurt. He can play as a fullback and wingback, can cross the ball well and is only 23. To be fair I haven't seen a lot of him so is anybody on here who follows Eintracht and has more insight?
 
I'm quite impressed with Jetro Willems from Eintracht Frankfurt. He can play as a fullback and wingback, can cross the ball well and is only 23. To be fair I haven't seen a lot of him so is anybody on here who follows Eintracht and has more insight?

If I recall it correctly, he had injury issues at Eindhoven the last couple of years. Before that he was one of their best players. Second best player in that season before we signed Memphis. He was an excellent partner on the left for Memphis.

With that being said, I don't know how he's done at Frankfurt so far and I don't think he fits the mould of Mourinho's full-back archetype.
 
If I recall it correctly, he had injury issues at Eindhoven the last couple of years. Before that he was one of their best players. Second best player in that season before we signed Memphis. He was an excellent partner on the left for Memphis.

With that being said, I don't know how he's done at Frankfurt so far and I don't think he fits the mould of Mourinho's full-back archetype.
I've not seen him this season either, but from what I remember he has very similar attributes to Rose in that he's quick, physically strong, solid defensively, gets forward and delivers decent crosses. He also used to take some of the set pieces (corners and free kicks).
 
How good is this Grimaldo? I've been impressed with him in attack, but I haven't seen enough to form an opinion of his defending.

Would certainly be a very attacking option for the LWB though, and with a great age.

@Sly , @Arruda , @Peyroteo
You didn't mention me, but from what I've watched, he's good defensively and superb technically.
 
People will likely castigate me for this, but I like Robbie Brady, a lot. Think he'd fit us perfectly.
I like him too. He'd be great as a back-up; he can play LW, LB, LWB and LM. Unfortunately, we already have too many back-ups.
 
How good is this Grimaldo? I've been impressed with him in attack, but I haven't seen enough to form an opinion of his defending.

Would certainly be a very attacking option for the LWB though, and with a great age.

@Sly , @Arruda , @Peyroteo
I mentioned him a while ago and someone informed me he is like a glass hammer, supposedly injured quite a lot along with Gaya also touched with the Mr Breakable disease. When I’ve seen them they have looked really good and if Shaw goes and Young needs an understudy those are the two I’d be looking at.

Who do people think should be RB/RWB? For me it’s an area in worse state than LB but I can’t think of any really great RB available. Last season o would have gone with Semedo but was thinking maybe Fabinho as he has said he preferred RB and I think he was better there than at CDM.
 
I mentioned him a while ago and someone informed me he is like a glass hammer, supposedly injured quite a lot along with Gaya also touched with the Mr Breakable disease. When I’ve seen them they have looked really good and if Shaw goes and Young needs an understudy those are the two I’d be looking at.

Who do people think should be RB/RWB? For me it’s an area in worse state than LB but I can’t think of any really great RB available. Last season o would have gone with Semedo but was thinking maybe Fabinho as he has said he preferred RB and I think he was better there than at CDM.

Worse state than RWB?

Valencia has been a quality wingback/rightback for a few seasons now. He's one of the most consistent defenders in the league. Opposed to the options we have at leftback with Darmian/Young/Blind. None of which are good enough.

A new left back should be an absolute priority.
 
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I mentioned him a while ago and someone informed me he is like a glass hammer, supposedly injured quite a lot along with Gaya also touched with the Mr Breakable disease. When I’ve seen them they have looked really good and if Shaw goes and Young needs an understudy those are the two I’d be looking at.

Who do people think should be RB/RWB? For me it’s an area in worse state than LB but I can’t think of any really great RB available. Last season o would have gone with Semedo but was thinking maybe Fabinho as he has said he preferred RB and I think he was better there than at CDM.
Menuier is unrealistic IMO, but Monaco will probably sell Sidibe at the right price.
I like Cedric too; unspectacular, but pretty solid RB with good attacking and defensive qualities.
 
Worse state than RWB?

Valencia has been a quality wingback/rightback for a few seasons now. He's one of the most consistent defenders in the league. Opposed to the options we have at leftback with Darmian/Young/Blind. None of which are good enough.

A new left back should be an absolute priority.
And if something happens to the 32yr old Antonia Valencia with the dodgy knees? Who steps in? Who replaces him? At least at LB we have a bunch of guys who can do a job and one who should be one of the top LB’s around.
 
And if something happens to the 32yr old Antonia Valencia with the dodgy knees? Who steps in? Who replaces him? At least at LB we have a bunch of guys who can do a job and one who should be one of the top LB’s around.

A new LB will free up Young to rotate with Valencia for the RB spot. Young's crossing will be even more effective from the RWB.
 
With Valencia and Young still around, I think Ricardo Pereira would be a decent choice considering he can play on either side and we might give Fosu-Mensah chances as well. Don't necessarily see anyone else that convinces me as a pure LB other than Alex Sandro and Jorge from Monaco. Raphael Guerreiro seems a bit too injury-prone. Whether we are interested in Monaco's right-backs or actually had trouble signing Fabinho, who knows. So signing Jorge and or one of their right-backs might still be difficult.
 
How good is this Grimaldo? I've been impressed with him in attack, but I haven't seen enough to form an opinion of his defending.

Would certainly be a very attacking option for the LWB though, and with a great age.

@Sly , @Arruda , @Peyroteo

Good but he has too many injuries, from what I heard his current form hasn’t been great compared to last season. Very attacking, good crosser and free kick taker and he isn’t a liability defensively.

There’s a Porto-Benfica today. Huge game. Ricardo Pereira vs Grimaldo will be interesting for those that want to do some scouting.

I’m not convinced any of these two would really be big upgrades. Raphael Guerreiro on the other hand... maybe not as solid defensively as Mou would want and he’s had some injuries recently but there’s a monster of a player there.
 
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A new LB will free up Young to rotate with Valencia for the RB spot. Young's crossing will be even more effective from the RWB.
Although I agree but he is also 32 yrs old and is quite injury prone himself. We need new blood in both positions if Shaw isn’t deemed worthy Enough by Jose to be given a chance.

Young and Valencia are Just holding the places until we get someone in who can do an equal or better job and sustain it.

@Mcking Sidibie would be intresting, I’ve like what I’ve seen of him in the past but I think there was intrest in Fabinho in the summer and it was for RB however Sidibie would probably be the cheaper option.
I like what I’ve seen of Fosu as a RWB and RB to be honest. Would like to see more of the offensive side of his play but he makes some cracking surging runs and isn’t afraid to go at people so he should be considered.

The United Fullback Conundrum.
 
Guereiro's not solid defensively ? He's quite shit tbh. His positioning is terrible, but he has good 1on1 defence ability to compensate. He's fecking fantastic when going forward, though.
 
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@wiz4231, how's Ricardo Pereira doing? He was superb for Nice last season.

Haven't seen much of him this season but looking into stats he's got 2 goals and 3 assists in 15 games, he did have a great season last year as you said. He has to be short listed as RB target for us, also João Cancelo should be, even though he hasn't played much this season he had a good season last year.
As for LB rose is a quick fix but questions mark still over his fitness and injuries, Alex Sandro would be best option but will be difficult to get. Another player that could turn in to a good buy for us is Alex Telles, he's looking good
 
Guereiro's not solid defensively ? He's quite shit tbh. His positioning is terrible, but he has good 1on1 defence ability to compensate. He's fecking fantastic when going forward, though.

He reminds me a bit of Marcelo who is also very weak positionally, but I think the way he's been played at Dortmund hasn't really helped that part of his game. During the Euros he showed he can play more conservately and he's only 23.

Not sure if there are any better young left backs around.
 
Who do people think should be RB/RWB? For me it’s an area in worse state than LB but I can’t think of any really great RB available. Last season o would have gone with Semedo but was thinking maybe Fabinho as he has said he preferred RB and I think he was better there than at CDM.
Wouldn't mind Florenzi tbh.
 
How good is this Grimaldo? I've been impressed with him in attack, but I haven't seen enough to form an opinion of his defending.

Would certainly be a very attacking option for the LWB though, and with a great age.

@Sly , @Arruda , @Peyroteo

He's a good left back but he's too injury prone. Just because of that i don't think he's United material. The only rumours i've read about him was a Napoli interest.
 
He's a good left back but he's too injury prone. Just because of that i don't think he's United material. The only rumours i've read about him was a Napoli interest.

Injury prone defender and United isn't a good mix, we're cursed at that part of the field.
 
Injury prone defender and United isn't a good mix, we're cursed at that part of the field.

Exactly. And btw he's not the most gifted player physically and the PL is a whole new ball game. I sincerily don't think United should go that way specially with the ammount of physical demand and injuries players get in the PL. Rojo was a rock here in Portugal and at United he's had more injuries than in all the rest of his playing time career.
 
If left back is Jose’s priority area in the summer then you simply have to go all out for Alex Sandro, he’s going to be 27 in late January so he’ll have his peak years with us and is already arguably the best left back in the world.

Spending £50 million on Danny Rose who can’t do 20 league games a season and is at best a very good left back but on average a good left back and also a year older against £60-£70 million for Alex Sandro is a no brainer to me, maybe in a few years go for Kieran Tierney but right now he’s potential instead of established.
 
If left back is Jose’s priority area in the summer then you simply have to go all out for Alex Sandro, he’s going to be 27 in late January so he’ll have his peak years with us and is already arguably the best left back in the world.

Spending £50 million on Danny Rose who can’t do 20 league games a season and is at best a very good left back but on average a good left back and also a year older against £60-£70 million for Alex Sandro is a no brainer to me, maybe in a few years go for Kieran Tierney but right now he’s potential instead of established.

We are not City or PSG, we are not spending £60-70m on a FB.
 
We are not City or PSG, we are not spending £60-70m on a FB.

Then we’re not going to compete with them, it’s as simple as that. For years we’ve wasted money on sub standard players to replace the quality we had and we’re on our third manager in 5 years because of it, if we actually expect to challenge for the title then we need to add quality instead of players that’ll get us a possible top 4 place in the league.

Even with FFP we should comfortably be able to spend that amount on Alex Sandro seeing as we’ve constantly seen £50 million as the apparent price for Danny Rose ? We’ll most likely see Shaw and Darmian both sold in the summer which frees up wages.
 
Do we have any LB prospects currently?

If we could get AWB, we would have a great set of fullbacks in Shaw, AWB and Dalot. Also reduces the risk of Young playing there..